This invention relates in general to ground plugging and deals more particularly with an improved device that may be used to remove plugs of earth from the ground.
With increased popularity of coin hunting and metal detecting in recent years has come an increased demand for a quick and easy means for removing buried coins, rings, various types of artifacts, and other metal objects from the ground. It is not uncommon at present for crude digging instruments to be employed to dig up metal objects that have been located by a metal detecting machine. Manifestly, this type of digging can severely harm the ground in the area at which the digging occurs, often resulting in unsightly damage to fields and other regions.
Although various types of devices have been proposed for removing plugs of ground, such devices have been developed primarily for applications such as relocating the holes on golf course greens or repairing damaged areas of lawns and the like. Therefore, equipment of this type is not well suited for use in connection with metal detecting activity. In particular, the devices presently available are too large, bulky, heavy, and unwieldy to carry from place to place as is necessary in metal detecting, which requires extensive walking. This lack of portability is particularly evident when it is recognized that a metal detecting machine which must also be carried typically requires both hands to operate effectively.
Existing devices which are capable of plugging the ground are further characterized by undue cost and complexity and are difficult and time consuming to use. Moreover, plugs of only a predetermined size or depth are able to be removed from the ground, and access to metal objects located near the center of the plug could be gained only by breaking up the plug so substantially that it could not be replaced in order to restore the ground to its original condition. In some instances, most notably when encountering hard ground or ground containing rocks, ruts and the like, it is impossible or at best takes considerable effort to drive existing devices into the ground.
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved ground plugging device which is small and light in weight in order to be easily carried, and which may be used quickly and easily to remove plugs of earth from the ground. The portability of the device makes it particularly useful in connection with metal detecting and similar activity.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which avoids excessively damaging the plugs of ground, thus facilitating restoration of the ground to its original undamaged condition. After removal of the metal object, the plug may be easily replaced in its hole such that there is virtually no trace that plugging of the ground has been carried out.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that may be driven into the ground to virtually any desired depth in order to reach objects buried at various distances below the surface.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be easily driven into each hard ground with the foot, and which includes a bail that facilitates twisting of the device during penetration and/or removal.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that may be used to transfer plugs of sod between various locations, as well as in other types of ground plugging operations.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is simple and economical to construct, which is structurally strong and resistant to rust and other damage, and which may be clipped or hooked to the belt in order to free both hands for operation of a metal detecting machine or for another purpose.
Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.